Category: Hockey

In 1996 the Winnipeg Jets packed up and moved to Arizona to become the Phoenix Coyotes and, believe me, the passionate Jets fans have not forgotten. Today, in a matinée, they will be able to voice their dislike for the Coyotes when the now-named Arizona Coyotes visit Bell MTS Place. The Coyotes are not the push over they were a year ago and are 2-2-0-0 on the road but they will face a team that always performs on their home ice. The Jets are 3-0-1-0 at home on the season and 46-14 in their last 60 at Bell MTS Place. To say the Jets have dominated the Coyotes would be an understatement. They are 13-3 in their last 16 meetings with Arizona and 9-0 in their last 9 against them at home.
TODAY’S PICK: WINNIPEG JETS

Despite being plagued by injuries, the Anaheim Ducks are finding a way to win and are on top of the Pacific Division with a record of 4-1-0-1. Anaheim will host the New York Islanders tonight and should have their captain, Ryan Getzlaf, back on the ice after he missed the last four games with a groin injury. The Ducks are always tough at home, going 19-7 in their last 26 at Honda Center. Anaheim has won the last two meetings with the Islanders and New York is just 4-9 in their last 13 road games.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ANAHEIM DUCKS

The Ottawa Senators will be without some key players when they host the Los Angeles Kings in an early one today at Canadian Tire Centre. Ottawa will be without top producer Ryan Dzingel with a lower body injury, impressive rookie Alex Formenton (concussion), and defenseman Cody Ceci (upper body). Los Angeles looked sharp in their 3-0 shutout at Montreal on Thursday. The Kings are 6-1 in their last 7 against the Eastern Conference and have owned Ottawa, going 15-6-1 in their last 22 meetings.
TODAY’S PICK: LOS ANGELES KINGS

The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to an impressive start at 3-1-0-0 and have yet to lose on the road. Tonight they will try to keep the road record perfect when they travel to Little Caesers Arena to take on the struggling Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings are 0-1-1-1 and are already banged up. They are expected to be without Mike Green, Jonathan Ericsson, and Trevor Daley, and with the way the Leafs are scoring, that is not good. The Leafs are averaging 5 goals per game and Auston Matthews and John Tavares have been on a tear. Matthews has already notched 7 goals and Tavares is right behind him with 6. Toronto has had Detroit’s number, going 7-1 in their last 8 meetings, and they are 4-1 in their last 5 in Detroit.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

The Anaheim Ducks are off to a great start, at a perfect 3-0, and will try to keep it going tonight when they host the Arizona Coyotes at Honda Center. One of the reasons for their early success has been the outstanding play of goaltender John Gibson. He is expected between the pipes tonight for the Ducks and they have already beaten the Coyotes this year in the desert, 1-0. Arizona has yet to win a game, at 0-2, and they were shut out in both losses. The Coyotes are 2-9 in their last 11 meetings with the Ducks and 0-5 in their last 5 trips to Anaheim.
TONIGHT’S PICK: ANAHEIM DUCKS

Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg will be electric tonight when the Jets host the Los Angeles Kings in their home opener. The Jets rarely lose at home, with an impressive record of 43-13 in their last 56. The Kings have not fared well in Winnipeg, going 3-9 in their last 12 and the home team between these two clubs has won 16 of the last 23 meetings.
TONIGHT’S PICK: WINNIPEG JETS

The Washington Capitals are in a spot they haven’t been in since 1998, the Eastern Conference Finals. Tonight they will travel to Amalie Arena to kick off Game 1 against arguably the best team in hockey, the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning made short work of the New Jersey Devils and the Boston Bruins so the extra rest will definitely be an asset. The Capitals are coming off a tough series with their hated rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and could be without André Burakovski (upper body) and Nicklas Backstrom (hand). Tampa is in familiar territory, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals 3 of the last 4 years and the host team between these two clubs is 20-7 in the last 27 meetings. Amalie Arena will be rocking tonight. Edge Lightning.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING